AHIA SUPPORTS HEALTHY KIDS ACT
For Immediate Release
Contact: Caitlin Kubler 703-770-8251, ckubler@naifa.org
February 16, 2007
FALLS CHURCH, VA — The Association of Health Insurance Advisors (AHIA), the health insurance division of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA), applauds the introduction of The Healthy Kids Act by Representatives Rahm Emanuel, Jim Ramstad, Mike Ross, Ray LaHood, Allyson Schwartz, and Carol Shea-Porter.
This bipartisan legislation would provide uninsured children with access to quality health care by streamlining the SCHIP enrollment process and providing states with the resources they need to provide coverage to eligible children.
Seventy-four percent of uninsured children are eligible for public assistance yet are not enrolled these programs. “The cost of uncompensated care is shifted onto the insured. This burden could easily be lessened by enrolling those eligible for public assistance into those programs” states AHIA President, Lawrence E. Lounds, CLU, ChFC, LUTCF. “If implemented, the Healthy Kids Act would not only cover more uninsured, it stands to reduce the cost for the insured as well” continues Lounds.
The Healthy Kids Act would also provide families that are not eligible for Medicaid or SCHIP with a Healthy Savings Tax Credit, which they can use to purchase health coverage for their children.
“AHIA has long supported the use of tax incentives to help make insurance more affordable” remarks Lounds.
AHIA is pleased to offer its support to work with Congress to enact legislation this year.
